Breast cancer surgery: evolution, current practices, and future perspectives

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most frequent malignant neoplasm diagnosed in women worldwide and the one that causes the most deaths in this gender. This condition has been present since the beginning of mankind, with reports dating back to ancient Egypt. The surgical management of this pathology has undergone constant changes over time, evolving from radical and ultraradical surgeries with important aesthetic sequelae and high morbimortality, to conservative and minimally invasive treatments. The goal of these treatments is to combine effective cancer control with better aesthetic preservation and a significant improvement in patients' quality of life.